/azure-sql-managed-instance

name: azure-sql-managed-instance
description: Expert knowledge for Azure SQL Managed Instance development including troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, architecture & design patterns, limits & quotas, security, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, and deployment. Use when planning MI networking, HA/DR, backups, Managed Instance link, or app connectivity patterns, and other Azure SQL Managed Instance related development tasks. Not for Azure SQL Database (use azure-sql-database), SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines (use azure-sql-virtual-machines), Azure Virtual Machines (use azure-virtual-machines).
compatibility: Requires network access. Uses mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch or fetch_webpage to retrieve documentation.
metadata:
  generated_at: "2026-11-08"
  generator: "docs2skills/1.0.0"

Azure SQL Managed Instance Skill

This skill provides expert guidance for Azure SQL Managed Instance. Covers troubleshooting, best practices, decision making, architecture & design patterns, limits & quotas, security, configuration, integrations & coding patterns, and deployment. It combines local quick-reference content with remote documentation fetching capabilities.

How to Use This Skill

> **IMPORTANT for Agent**: Use the **Category Index** below to locate relevant sections. For categories with line ranges (e.g., `L35-L120`), use `read_file` with the specified lines. For categories with file links (e.g., `[security.md](security.md)`), use `read_file` on the linked reference file

> **IMPORTANT for Agent**: If `metadata.generated_at` is more than 3 months old, suggest the user pull the latest version from the repository. If `mcp_microsoftdocs` tools are not available, suggest the user install it: [Installation Guide](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/mcp/blob/main/README.md)

This skill requires **network access** to fetch documentation content:

• **Preferred**: Use `mcp_microsoftdocs:microsoft_docs_fetch` with query string `from=learn-agent-skill`. Returns Markdown.
• **Fallback**: Use `fetch_webpage` with query string `from=learn-agent-skill&accept=text/markdown`. Returns Markdown.

Category Index

| Category | Lines | Description | |----------|-------|-------------| | Troubleshooting | L37-L60 | Diagnosing and fixing Azure SQL Managed Instance/Database issues: performance, connectivity, capacity, backups, transaction logs, security (ransomware), auth, geo-replication, and known errors. | | Best Practices | L61-L89 | Performance, HA/DR, security, ransomware resilience, monitoring, and maintenance best practices for Azure SQL Managed Instance and applications using it. | | Decision Making | L90-L106 | Guidance for choosing Azure SQL services and tiers, planning subnet/IPs, and deciding or executing migrations (SQL Server, Db2, Oracle) and replication options (link, LRS, standby). | | Architecture & Design Patterns | L107-L111 | Connectivity architecture for Azure SQL DB and HA design for Managed Instance, including network topology, routing, failover behavior, and resilience patterns. | | Limits & Quotas | L112-L122 | Backup retention/immutability rules, DTU benchmarks, free-tier and memory limits, maintenance windows, operation durations, and all key resource/scale limits for Azure SQL Managed Instance. | | Security | L123-L177 | Authentication, encryption, access control, auditing, network protection, and Azure Policy for securing Azure SQL Managed Instance and related Azure SQL resources. | | Configuration | L178-L227 | Configuring and managing Azure SQL Managed Instance: deployment, networking, backups/restore, monitoring, maintenance windows, update policy, time zone/tempdb, and high availability/failover. | | Integrations & Coding Patterns | L228-L251 | Client connectivity, coding patterns, and tools for apps using Azure SQL Managed Instance, plus automation, DTC, XEvents, Spark, Managed Instance link, and backup/restore scenarios. | | Deployment | L252-L267 | Deploying and managing Azure SQL Managed Instance and databases: scaling, start/stop for cost control, DR/replication, region/subnet moves, and required virtual network setup. |

Troubleshooting

| Topic | URL | |-------|-----| | Resolve Azure SQL capacity deployment and scaling errors | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/capacity-errors-troubleshoot?view=azuresql | | Resolve common Azure SQL database watcher issues | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database-watcher-faq?view=azuresql | | Fix slow database import and export in Azure SQL | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/database-import-export-hang?view=azuresql | | Troubleshoot Azure SQL performance using Intelligent Insights | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/intelligent-insights-troubleshoot-performance?view=azuresql | | Detect ransomware attacks on Azure SQL databases | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/ransomware-recovery-detect?view=azuresql | | Troubleshoot transient connectivity errors for Azure SQL | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/troubleshoot-common-connectivity-issues?view=azuresql | | Troubleshoot Azure SQL and Fabric SQL connectivity errors | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/troubleshoot-common-errors-issues?view=azuresql | | Troubleshoot geo-replication and redo lag in Azure SQL Database | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/troubleshoot-geo-replication-redo?view=azuresql | | Investigate and fix memory issues in Azure SQL Database | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/troubleshoot-memory-errors-issues?view=azuresql | | Resolve transaction log full errors in Azure SQL Database | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/troubleshoot-transaction-log-errors-issues?view=azuresql-db | | Monitor Azure SQL Managed Instance backup activity | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/bac